1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a floor care appliance, and more particularly, to a carpet cleaning machine for distributing and working into the carpet a dry powder carpet cleaning composition.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Carpet cleaning machines utilizing a dry powder cleaning composition are known in the art. Typically, these carpet cleaners have a hopper for holding a quantity of a dry powder carpet cleaning composition. The dry powder is distributed onto the carpet to absorb dirt contained in the carpet. Usually, a short period of time is given to allow the dry powder to absorb the dirt before the dry powder is vacuumed up. Some of these known carpet cleaners have a vacuum source and dirt collecting chamber onboard for this purpose.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,532 issued to Dyson et al. provides a method and apparatus for controlling dispensing of “dry” powdered compositions particularly carpet cleaning compositions wherein the confined finely divided particles descend in a stream under gravity and have oscillatory movement imparted thereto next before discharge through an orifice leading therefrom so as to agitate, separate and propel the particles therethrough; and in the case of carpet cleaning operations depositing the finely divided discharged particles onto the surface of the fibres in a substantially uniform pattern thereover followed by working same into the fibres through the application thereto of a rotary brush or beater and thereafter recovering the residues by a suitable suction or vacuum unit utilizing a rotary brush or beater and an associated two stage cyclone separator.
There are other dry powder carpet cleaners that are add-on devices for existing vacuum cleaners. Examples of these types are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,569 and 4,268,935 issued to Bessinger. There are others that attach to the accessory hose of a canister type vacuum cleaner. Examples of these types are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,930 issued to Glenn, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,042 issued to Jones et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,328 issued to Martin et al.
Further, there are carpet cleaners designed for use with dry chemical cleaning compositions which do not dispense the dry chemical composition but work the composition into the carpet and later vacuum up the chemical composition and the absorbed dirt. Examples of these types of carpet cleaners are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,538 issued to Rench et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,539 issued to Rench.
The present invention is distinguished from all of these cleaners, inter alia, because it is designed exclusively to be a dry powder carpet cleaner dispenser with agitators for working the powder into the carpet. It does not have a vacuum source to remove the dry powder and the absorbed dirt. It is designed to be used in conjunction with an ordinary vacuum cleaner which is present in almost every household. This is a benefit to the consumer in terms of saving the extra cost incorporating a vacuum source for particulate removal into the device.
It is an object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner having a dispensing system for uniform application of a dry powder carpet cleaning composition on carpet.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner for working the recently dispensed powder into the carpet.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a hopper having a rotary powder mixing agitator contained therein.
It is yet still another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a hopper having a rotary powder mixing agitator contained therein driven by the cleaners wheels.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a a plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators for working the dry powder carpet cleaning composition into the carpet.